HealthCare Texas 2016 to Take Place May 3rd and 4th in Austin

With the first Dell Medical School class kicking off in June with 50 students, the medical technology and biotechnology industry in Austin is set to boom.

Already, dozens of startups have launched in Austin and more are in the works.

So it’s the perfect time to gather for a conference to bring startups, investors and healthcare industry representatives together. And on May 3rd and 4th, the HealthCare Texas 2016 Conference will take place at Brazos Hall in downtown Austin. Dell Medical School, Texas Growth Capital Forum, the Austin Healthcare Council and the Moon Group at Merrill Lynch are sponsoring the event.

The conference will bring 300 innovators in healthcare information technology, digital health, life science and therapeutics together for two days. The event schedule includes three distinct program tracks. The first day will feature keynotes and innovation panels, and both days will have a program for venture capital matching.

The keynote speakers include Mark McClellan, former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Christopher W. Kersey, chairman of Johns Hopkins International. In addition to the keynotes, the conference features 16 speakers and four forum panel discussions.

The conference also focuses on matching between startups and investors in the Series A and Series B stage. A select 20 companies with revenue of less than $3 million will receive invites to participate in private investor matched presentations and pitch open product presentations to all attendees during the startup expo event. Five finalists will be selected by a jury to present in a fast pitch form for a chance to win the Series A Venture Award.

The next day will focus on Series B financing. A select 35 Texas growth companies seeking late stage funding with revenue of $3 million or more will participate in private investor matched one-on-one sessions. Of that group, a jury will select the top five for a fast pitch competition for a chance to win the Series B Innovation Award.

“Our mission is to measurably increase venture capital and investor presence throughout the state,” Matt Black, director at the Texas Growth Capital Forum, said in a news release. “Startups founded in Texas need broader access to capital at every stage of growth to maximize any potential to achieve global scale. We’re focused on attracting diverse capital interests to Texas to build a last national network.”